Spring 1989 Page 2. pests. The responses are summarized in Table 2. V. Fungicide Usage. Top Cultivars Grown

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1 OUTDOOR HARDY CHRYSANTHEMUM VARIETY SURVEY BRIAN WHIPKER In the fall of 988, a survey of chrysanthe mum varieties and the cultural practices in use by commercial greenhouses was conducted by Pur due University. The survey was sent to 05 commercial greenhouse operations in Indiana with thirty-five firms responding. The results of the survey are listed below. Growers may find the information presented to be interesting as a comparison to their current production practices and varieties grown. Spring 989 Page 2 pests. The responses are summarized in Table 2. IV, Specific Insect Pests Growers were also asked if any of their insect problems were cultivar specific. The over whelming answer was no, but a few growers did report a few incidents (Table 3). V. Fungicide Usage Information was also collected on the use of fungicides, either as a drench or a foliar applica tion. The results are reported in Table 4. I, Growing Medium VI. Top s Grown Of the respondents, the majority were using a soilless mix (7%). The brand names used by growers included: Sunshine mix (7%), Pro- Mix (%), Metro-Mix (%), and Speedel and Baccto mixes ( each). Twenty-five percent of the growers included soil in their growing medium. The most popular type was a mixture of /3 each: soil, peat and perlite. II, Fertilization Program The number of producers using specific types of fertilizers are listed in Table. The most common fertilization program followed by grow ers utilized a water soluble fertilizer similar to Peters (82%). The application rate used was between 200 ppm to 300 ppm, applied on a one to three day schedule. Some producers also noted that they curtailed their fertilization program in early to mid-august to deter exces sive foliage growth. A slow release fertilizer (Osmocote or Mag Amp) was used by 34% of the growers as an additional part of their fertilization program. common rate was.5 teaspoons per 8" pot, ap plied as a single dose. insect Pests The insect pests varied greatly between firms and the controls they used during 988, with aphids and whiteflies being the most common Northwestern Indiana Regional Extension Specialist for Commercial Floriculture and Vegetable Crops. A Growers were asked to list the three top per forming cultivars that they grew in 988, re gardless of color. Debonair, Grenadine and Minngopher topped the list, with over a third of the growers rating them in the top three. The results are listed in Table 5. VII. The Most Widely Grown s Of the wide assortment of cultivars available from the two primary sources of cuttings, all the cultivars were grown, if not by more than a single greenhouse operation. Therefore, a complete listing will not be reported on the number of firms growing each of the cultivars. Instead, Table 6 contains only those cultivars that were grown by at least 0% of the respondents. VIII. Comments About Specific s In addition to stating which cultivars were grown, each grower had the opportunity to com ment on any growth characteristic of each culti var, either good or bad. The responses varied from grower to grower, possibly dis to differ ences in growing conditions. An example of how opinions varied is Allure. A few growers cited it as a poor performing cultivar, while another grower thought it was a "good" plant. In the end, the comments are of value as to which problems you should be on the look out for. The comments are listed in Table 7.

2 Tablel. Soluble Fertilizers Used by Growers. Type of Fertilizer age of Growers 5% % 2CI Table 2. Insect Pests Reported on Chrysanthe mums. Insect Pest Aphids Whitefly Thrips Spider Mite Grasshopper Caterpillars Leafhopper apanese Beetle Leaf Miner Fungus Gnats Prohlem Freauencv 37% 37% 5% 2% 2% 2% 9% Common Controls Used Malathion, Orthene, Avid, Lannate Talstar, Lannate, Temik Avid, Lannate, Orthene, Thiodan Pentac, Avid Pentac, No Control Used Lannate, Sevin, Malathion, Hand Lannate, PT 200, Sevin Orthene, PT 265 Avid, Vydate No Control Used Table 3. Specific Insect Pests. Insect Pest Number Growers IReporting Problem Mites 2 Purple Chariot Sunning Morning Satellite Grenadine Aphids 2 2 Minn-Yellow Minn-White Flaming Sun Pure Sugar Leaf Miner Cloud Nine Zonta Allure Ginger Thrips Goldstrike

3 - 2 3 floriculture indiana Vol. 3 No. 3 Spring 989 Page 4 Table 4. Fungicides Used by the Growers Surveyed and Method of Application. Fungicide Application Method Drench Foliar Growers Reporting Total Banrot 2 - Benlate (Benomyl) % Captan 3 4 % Chipco 2 3 9% Subdue % Terraclor 3-9% No Control Used % Table 5. The Top Rated Chrysanthemum s: Listed bv Color and the Number of Votes Received. Color: Bronze & Red Color; Yellow Color: Pink/Lavender Minngopher Allure 3 Debonair 3 Bravo 8 Goldmine 3 Grenadine 3 Ginger 8 Target 3 Cameo Minn Autumn 7 Legend 2 Stargazer Viking 5 Yellow acket 2 Stardom Ruby Mound 3 Yel. Cloud Nine Loyalty Red Remarkable Gold Strike Zonta Minn Yellow Flaming Sun Freedom Color: White Triump Sunny Morning Maple Mound Minn White 2 Buckeye White Stardom Bandit Lipstick Autumn Glory

4 Spring 989 Page 5 Table 6. The Most Widely Grown Chrysanthemum s. WHITE White Stardom 57% Encore 43 Frolic 37 Minnwhite 23 Baby Tears 20 Illusion 20 Ballerina 4 YELLOW Allure 60% Target 57 Legend 43 Yellow acket 3 Fortune 26 Gold Strike 7 Maple Mound 4 Minnyellow Yellow Scarlet BRONZE and RED Minngopher 7% Bravo 63 Ginger 60 Viking 5 Minnautumn 40 Buckeye 3 Mirage 3 Ruby Mound 26 Wolverine 26 Triump 20 Zonta 4 Bandit Flaming Sun Matchmaker PINK and LAVENDER Debonair 77% Stargazer 43 Grenadine 37 Adorn 29 Stardom 29 Tinkerbell 26 Camelot 23 Grandchild 20 Cameo 7 Purple Chariot BUTTON MUMS Baby Tears 7% Small Wonder Table 7. Grower Comments About Chrysanthemum Varieties. Variety (Comments) Adorn (late, insect problems) Aggie (brittle) Allure (short, early, flowers did not hold up well, good plant) Applo (not vigorous) Baby Tears (leaf spot, good plant) Ballerina (tall) Bravo (short - but nice color, leaf discoloration, troublesome) Bronze Beauty (small plants, uneven flowering) Buckeye (lanky, tall) Camelot (late, brittle, long stems) Cameo (trouble surviving heat) Celebrity (tall, good plant) Chiffon (brittle) Daisy Pink (late) Daisy Rose (late) Debonair (nice color, early blooms, great plant, heat trouble) Encore (good, iron deficiency, root rot) Fireside Cushion (tall) First Down (septoria, spray sensitive) Flaming Sun (poor shape) Fortune (fell apart, root rot, burning on foliage) Frolic (yellow foliage, tall) Gambler (uneven growth) Ginger (flowers turned yellow under black cloth) Goldmine (red foliage, early, short, uneven growth) Goldstrike (heat delay, insect problems, aborted buds) Grandchild (tall) Grenadine (minor leaf spot, root rot) Her Majesty (uneven growth & flowering] High Gleam (early, brittle) Ironsides (spreads) Lancer (tall) Legend (premature budding) Matchmaker (some uneven growth) Minnautumn (some early buds) Minngopher (slow growing, not well shaped, heat problems) Minnwhite (late blooming, uneven branching) Minnyellow (nice plant, good size, vibrant color, slow growth) Patriot (late blooming) Poncho (yellow foliage) Powder River (some early blooms)

5 Purple Chariot (good color, some uneven flowering) Red Dandy (root rot) Red Gallantry (short, late) Red Sunset (leaf spot) Revere (tall) Ruby Gem (root rot) Ruby Mound (tall, stringy) Sea Urchin (some uneven flowering) Small Wonder (tall, stringy) Soft Whispers (looks good) Snow Daisy (big flowers, soft plants) Scarlet Sun (leaf spot, poor plants) Spring 989 Page 6 Stardom (leaf spot, heat sensitive) Starfire (late) Target (excellent plant, late, some buds aborted) Tinkerbell (tall, heat sensitive, some discolored foliage) Trinket (good) Unique (less vigor) White Stardom (late, a real "dog", tall, uneven) Yellow Scarlet (tall, too bushy) Zonta (leaf spot)